1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established by and in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, this invention is believed to be in the general Class entitled, "Package Making" (Class 53) and in the Subclass entitled, "Receptacle Formed and Subsequently Filled" (Subclass 29) and/or the Subclass entitled, "Forming or Partially Forming Receptacles and Subsequent Filling" (Subclass 183).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Packages for food products are well-known. In particular, packages of processed and/or mixed products ready for opening, serving and/or immediately using are very widely used. Foods served on airliners, such as jellies and the like, are such packaged products. Fast food outlets provide individual servings of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, salad dressing mixtures and the like. In such packaged products it is customary to employ a heat forming of the pocket or recess in the bottom or component receiving strip of the package. After forming and filling the pocket in this strip with the product, a cover member is usually sealed in place around the flat planar surface to retain the product in place. This cover usually has the same or equal barrier properties as the carrier strip. After forming, filling and sealing by affixing a cover, the completed package is usually cut apart into separate packages.
Patent disclosures directed to the above package making or to the making or filling of bags are shown in part by U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,817 to Piazze et al., as issued on June 12, 1956; U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,354 to Steinmetz as issued on June 6, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,617 to Matthis as issued on Oct. 2, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,998 to Lotto as issued on June 4, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,129 to Monahan as issued on May 20, 1975 and my U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,782 as issued on Sept. 20, 1977. Foreign patents are represented by British Pat. No. 1,075,540 as filed on Nov. 9, 1964.
In these and other known art, the pocket is usually formed in at least the bottom carrier strip by heat or the carrier strip is otherwise stretched. Other box-forming means include blanks cut, creased and then folded to provide a receptacle. Cover means is then applied to retain the product.